Lying about 3 miles (5 km) west of the city of Salisbury, and until 1889 the county town of Wiltshire, it has a rich heritage dating back to the Anglo-Saxons.

The town is home to Wilton House, country seat of the Earls of Pembroke, and has a large Romanesque Revival parish church.

In 871 Alfred the Great fought and lost an important battle here against the Danish armies, leaving him in retreat for several years.

[7] By the 17th century, weaving had become a busy trade, and the carpet industry began in 1741 when two French weavers were brought in by Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke to teach the local people new skills.

It is in the area of Wiltshire Council unitary authority, which is responsible for all significant local government functions.

It was designed by the architect Thomas Henry Wyatt in Romanesque Revival style with considerable Byzantine influences,[19] and includes a 105 ft (32 m) campanile.

The church's unusually large size for the community it serves reflects the wealth of its original benefactors.

Many of the materials used in its construction were imported from continental Europe, including marble columns from Italy and 12th and 13th century stained glass from France.